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Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
The Montrachet family consists of grand five Grands Crus grown in the two villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. These two share the Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet appellations. Chevalier and Bienvenues belong to Puligny, Criots belongs to Chassagne. These Grands Crus are the most southerly of the Côte-d'Or, and lie between Meursault in the north and Santenay in the south. Their origins go back to the Middle Ages - the work of the Cistercian abbey of Maizières and the Lords of Chagny. The wines of Montrachet (pronounced Mon-rachay) came fully into their own in the 17th century. There is no argument : this is the finest expression of the Chardonnay grape anywhere on earth. The Grand Cru appellations date from 31 July, 1937.
The underlying rocks date from the Jurassic, 175 million years BC. Exposures lie to the east and the south. Altitudes: 265-290 metres (Chevalier) ; 250-270 metres (Montrachet) ; 240-250 metres (Bâtard, Bienvenues, Criots). In the " Climat " of Montrachet, the soils are thinnish and lie on hard limestone traversed by a band of reddish marl. In Chevalier, the soils are thin and stony rendzinas derived from marls and marly-limestones. In the Bâtard " climat " soils are brown limestone which are deeper and, at the foot of the slope, more clayey.
The power and aromatic persistence of these lofty wines demands aristocratic and sophisticated dishes with complex textures : « pâté » made from fattened goose liver, of course, and caviar. Lobster, crawfish, and large wild prawns, with their powerful flavours and firm textures, pay well-deserved homage to the wine and match its opulence. Firm-fleshed white fish such as monkfish would be equally at home in their company. And let us not forget well-bred and well-fattened free-range poultry whose delicate flesh, with the addition of a cream-and-mushroom sauce, will be lapped up in the unctuous and noble texture of this wine. Even a simple piece of veal, fried or in sauce, would be raised to heavenly heights by the Montrachet's long and subtle acidity.
Serving temperature : 12 to 14 °C.
Wine Information
Grape Variety : Chardonnay.
Vineyard
Site: Bâtard Montrachet straddles Puligny and Chassagne. It lies right below the famous Montrachet vineyard. Bâtard is one of the greatest white wines of the Côte de Beaune.
History & tradition: according to the often told story, the lord of Puligny in the Middle Ages divided his estate between his children: the eldest was the "chevalier" (knight), the daughters were the "pucelles" (young virgins) and the son born out of wedlock was the "bâtard".
Soil: located on a mild slope, the soil is a brownish limestone mixed with gravel. The secret of this exceptional terroir comes from the unique interaction between the deep layers of limestone and the roots of the vines.
Drouhin estate: 0.1ha. (0.25 acre).
Average age of the vines: 69 years
Viticulture
Biological cultivation since 1990; biodynamic cultivation a few years later.
Vine stocks: "sélection massale" (propagation of new vine stocks from a number of selected vines) done at the Drouhin nursery; also clones of recognized quality.
Soil maintenance: compost of manure and white wood, sometimes guano (seabird manure used as fertilizer). Soil is ploughed either by tractor or by horse to manage spreading of weeds.
Treatment: only authorized products for biological cultivation are used: infusions and macerations of plant materials, sulfur and copper, powdered rock. Natural predators are not eliminated.
Plantation density: from 10,000 to 12,500 stocks/ha in order to extract all possible nuances from the terroir and limit the production of each vine stock.
Pruning: Guyot.
Yield: we aim to keep our yields low, more in line with the previous regulation, around 20% less than allowed by the current law.
Vinification
Supply: grapes and must purchased from regular suppliers.
Harvesting: by hand, in small open crates in order to preserve the integrity of the fruit.
Sorting: if necessary, the grapes are sorted twice, once when being picked, the second time on the sorting table at the winery.
Pressing: very slow so as to respect fruit. Juices from the very last pressings are not retained.
The wine goes directly into barrels after "débourbage" (decanting of white wine to reduce sediment).
Ageing
Type: in barrels (25% in new oak).
Length: 12 to 15 months.
Origin of the wood: French oak forests.
Weathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine.
Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is then completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
Tasting note by Véronique Boss-Drouhin
"Tasting a wine of this stature is always cause for emotion. The golden colour has bright reflections. After some aeration, the aromas reveal their rich intensity: grilled bread, almond, honey, exotic wood...What is striking is the structure of the wine, its "monumental" grandeur. There is even a touch of tannin that provides an added dimension. A voluptuous finale, seemingly without end, with precious notes of preserved and ripe fruit.".
Vintage
The wines are pure. They show style and elegance. The good balance between mellowness and acidity provides a lot of freshness and enhances their fruitiness and character.
Serving
Temperature: 13°C (55°F).
Cellaring: 8 to 25 years.